Regional Economy

Greater Baltimore is a region comprised of Baltimore City and six surrounding counties (Anne Arundel, Baltimore County, Carroll, Cecil, Harford and Howard) and encompasses more than 3,100 square miles of land. Over 2.7 million people reside in the region, making the area the 20th largest metro area in the United States. See here for more details.

The region is a key economic center for the State and home to numerous prominent businesses of all sizes. Residents enjoy a relatively high per capita income and employers find a highly-educated workforce. Greater Baltimore still provides a relatively low cost of living, compared to other major metro areas, and it is well-connected to urban regions along the Northeast Corridor. Since last measured in 2012, Greater Baltimore produced an annual Gross Metropolitan Product of $157.26 billion.

Employment

Greater Baltimore has consistently performed better than the US average in terms of employment and unemployment. The region's diverse industry base, concentration in strong and growing industries, and talented workforce allow the region to continue to grow and develop.

As of August 2014, Greater Baltimore ranks twenty-first among the twenty five largest US metros in terms of its unemployment rate, which sits at 7.0 percent, above the US average. Since 2002, Greater Baltimore employment has grown by 5.86 percent overall, landing the region in the top 10 for growth in the decade. Click here to download our employment spreadsheet.

Industry and Occupations

Greater Baltimore is home to a diverse base of industries that continue to grow and develop. Healthcare, Financial Services, Information Technology, Defense, Education and Life Sciences/Biotechnology are some of the key growth sectors that make up the region’s economy. See our Key Industries page for more details.

The talent pool in the region is as diverse as the industrial makeup. The primary occupations held by Greater Baltimore workers are in legal, management, architecture, engineering, business and financial operations, computer and mathematical science, and life, physical and social science.